Mermaids, Pirates, & Eggos
by DaeDreemer
Summary: An old room brings back memories and Serena finds herself missing something she hadn't meant to let slip away... AU. Part 1 of 2. Set during the summer, pre-S2.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own "Gossip Girl."

**Author's Note**: Part 1 of 2, depicting a summer scene I wish would have happened. Tis AU. I hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

"Serena, please just get it done! The movers will be arriving with their things in less than an hour!" Lilly's voice had reached that tone of not-yelling that grated on Serena's every nerve.

"Yes, mother. I get it, okay?" She hissed and couldn't contain her eye-roll. She sat up from the sofa and peered at her mother from over the top of it. Lilly was holding folders and what was likely her agenda for the day. A few paces behind her Miranda, her personal assistant, stood patiently waiting.

Lilly's eyes narrowed, "I will have the entirety of it tossed, Serena, don't think I won't." She waved her hand and Miranda came forward and handed Serena a stationary pad and a pen.

Serena scowled and took them. "I don't understand why _we _have to make room for _them!" _She repeated the line she'd been saying for the past two days now and mentally cringed a moment after it left her mouth—even _she _was tired of hearing it.

"Explaining this to you, _yet again, _would be tiring to the extreme. The abbreviated version, as you well know, is that we are _all _going to be living here as a family and Charles will be occupying that suite. So you need to make a list of the things you would like to keep so the movers can rearrange things accordingly. End of story."

She turned away then tossing over her shoulder, "I have appointments all day, reach me on the mobile if you need anything."

Serena sighed and dropped the pad and pen onto the floor beside the couch. "Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, then dropped herself on the sofa once again to stare up at the ceiling.

She'd been doing a lot of that since they'd arrived at the Hamptons last week—staring and thinking.

She'd been drifting in thought lately… and for the first time in months she'd relaxed. Felt something inside of her unwind as she realized how far she'd come from last summer, how different everything was; not perfect, but better.

And the funniest thing happened when she did that, when she stopped trying so hard; she'd let the staff pick up and fold her clothes, let the maid bring her breakfast in bed, had returned the ice tea because it wasn't sweet enough, had asked that they brew her coffee a bit stronger in the mornings—and there was no guilt. Because this was her life, this was _her; _and maybe she should stop fighting it, maybe that's why she and Dan hadn't worked…

But still, he made her a better person, right? He did. He was so good and when she was with him, she thought maybe some of his goodness rubbed off on her, maybe if she was more like him she could atone for past sins. Though… maybe _that _was why they hadn't worked? Because atonement shouldn't be the basis of a relationship…

But she loved him too, right? She did. He made her feel special, made her happy—as long as she was on his pedestal. Maybe _that _was why they hadn't--

"Serena?"

She jumped and gasped a little, eyes focusing abruptly to realize that Eric was standing over her, staring down at her.

"Jeez, Eric! What?!"

He backed up. "Nothing. Are you high or something? You're eyes were all glazed over."

She sat up and glared at him. "I'm not doing drugs. Ever. Again." She hissed.

He held up both hands in a show defeat, "Okay, okay. Sorry."

She shook her head as she put her feet on the floor and looked up at him. He was wearing a blue polo shirt and white shorts and sneakers; very Typical Hampton Boy Attire.

"I was just thinking," she responded.

He nodded, moved to sit on the coffee table in front of her, which was a habit that he'd picked up… anywhere but the Upper East Side.

"Mom told me on her way out to tell you to--"

"Yes, I know. Clean out my old suite."

Eric grinned, "I don't get you. What's the big deal? You haven't used those rooms in like… five years."

"Six."

"Right. So what's the--"

"She's giving them to _Chuck._"

Eric shrugged, "He's not so bad. I kind of… like him. He's fun and he doesn't treat me like I'm gonna shatter if he's less than polite."

Serena felt herself soften a little. "Okay, so he has point-one-percent of a redeeming quality. He's a black hole of sleaze, don't get too close."

Something flickered in her little brothers and Serena felt a shiver go down her spine. "Don't worry, it's not like I'll really get the chance. I'm sure we'll be moving on in half a year or so." He answered shortly.

She reached out and took his hands in hers. "I'll still be here in half a year—and in a whole year. _That_ won't change."

They stared at each other for a beat. Then Eric pulled up a smile for her, grateful that she hadn't tried to correct him. They both knew their mother well; she was a serial monogamist of the highest order.

No reason he couldn't tease Serena about it a bit though. "Yeah, I know. Plus I'm thinking the law of the universe states she's going to stay married to Bart Bass the longest because you can't stand Chuck…"

Serena rolled her eyes as she stood, "The universe sucks." She muttered as she scooped up the stationary pad and pen.

Eric laughed, "Yep, it kinda does." He stood with her, "Come on. I'll help you."

She shook her head. "No its okay. No reason for both of us to spend the day locked away slaving indoors." She said dramatically and Eric smirked, calling her on it.

"Drama much? It's your own fault; you didn't have to wait until the last day."

"Thank you so much for pointing that out dear brother." She accompanied the sardonic words with a ruffle of his hair. "Do me a favor and text me when the movers get here."

"Yeah okay. Have fun." He offered sarcastically as he gave her a gentle shove in the direction of the foyer.

Serena sighed as she watched him wander back outside. Even before he got here, Chuck was already ruining her summer.

**

* * *

**

XoXo

* * *

Her childhood suite had been located on the ground floor. It had a sitting room that opened onto the back patio and lawns; this was of immense importance because it meant there was near immediate access to the swimming pool from her room. It meant she could swim and play tag outside until 15 minutes before dinner and then run to her room to change and still be on time.

As she got older though, it being on the ground floor meant less privacy.

At the end of the summer she turned 12 her mother had allowed her to move upstairs to the garden bedroom, Serena called it so because it had a balcony right above the garden. And she had wanted that bedroom for years; had wanted to stand on the balcony at night and look over the gardens and feel like Juliet, feel grown up.

She'd been so excited she'd grabbed, or rather instructed a maid to grab, her wardrobe and moved upstairs without a backwards glance.

The interesting thing about bedrooms one used for two to three months once a year was that they remained relatively untouched through time. The staffed cleaned around what you left behind, they never altered anything without instruction and because you came here so infrequently one never instructed anything.

So when Serena entered her old bedroom, it was precisely as she'd left it six years earlier. She walked around the bedroom slowly, noting the dolls she'd left on the bed when she was six, the magazines she'd hidden from her mother in the closet when she was eleven, the dollhouse she'd played with when she was eight; all of it here as she'd left it, staples of her childhood that she'd smiled at each year she returned. How silly it had seemed when she was ten that she'd spend so much time playing with the dollhouse the year before. How irreverent those magazines had seemed the next year at eleven. Trinkets lined the bureau, all beautiful gifts from her grandmother-- and now she had to displace it—for Chuck.

She rolled her eyes and proceeded to the sitting room. The sitting room had been hers and Blair's favorite place. They'd spent hours in here talking, doing each others hair, trying on outfits and shoes, putting on little plays, reading aloud from their favorite books, reciting movie lines to each other…

She smirked then, suddenly remembering that tonight wouldn't be Chuck's first time in these rooms. He'd been… well, Chuck, when they were growing up. She forgot sometimes that she had known Chuck for as long as she'd known Blair, as long as she'd known Nate.

Manhattan's elite upper crust ran in tightly knit circles and every generation grew up within their sphere. The four of them had formed their own circle though. As early as 1st grade, she and Blair had been inseparable, the same with Nate and Chuck; and well, the Van Der Woodsen's had always been 'friends' with the Archibald's; and then there was Blair and her relationship with Nate, which had seemed to blossom when they were as young as seven.

The first thing she did when she walked into the room was head over to the glass doors and pull the curtains back. The way the room flooded with light turned her smirk into a genuine smile.

She walked over to the antique desk and sat in the chair; this was actually going to be a lot simpler than she'd expected.

She wrote slowly, neatly so there would be no confusion and then she set the pad and pen down.

The room was decorated in very neutral tones. The only splashes of color were the photographs that she and Blair had meticulously affixed to the walls each summer. They'd been nine when they'd started it; had gone about it retroactively, trying to find as many pictures of summers gone by as they could.

She toured the room now, studying the faces in the pictures. Today's elite Upper East Side teenagers had been yesterday's children. And looking at the smiles frozen in time, she couldn't help, but remember those children fondly.

_"No Chuck, you can't play if you don't follow the rules." _

_"Blair just--" _

_"No, Nate, he'll have to go play something else. We're playing Castle. You said you'd play with me… didn't you mean it?" _

_Nate blinked, "You know I did," he defended himself; he liked to play with Blair. She was really good at making stories. _

_"Well then," her gaze went back to Chuck, "__Castle is about a kingdom. __There are no __pirates when we play Castle." _

_Chuck glared at her, "It's what I want to be." _

_"Then you can't play with us. Go play with the Devon's or the--" _

_"Aww, B! Come on! Can't there be _one _pirate!?" Serena asked, dancing in through the sliding doors from the patio where she'd been listening, "It's Chuck! Just one for him?" _

_"No!" Blair proclaimed. She eyed Chuck for a moment, because Serena was right, it was Chuck and he was their friend-- well, mostly_. _"You can be the court advisor," she told him graciously. _

_Chuck snorted and rolled his eyes, "No way. I'm not playing Castle again, Blair. It's boring." He smirked suddenly, "Nathaniel and I can play pirates outside," he said, arching an eyebrow at her, "You and Serena play Castle inside." _

_Nate nodded, pirates sounded more fun anyway. "Yeah Blair, you--" _

_Blair frowned, "But you said you'd play with me!" _

_"He'd rather play with me though," Chuck taunted. _

_"Guys we can all_ _play _together!_" Serena cried, bouncing from foot to foot, "We always do!" _

_"Not if he won't follow the rules!" Blair cried back. _

_Chuck huffed. "Whose rules?" _

_"My rules!" _

_"Your rules are stupid." _

_"You're stupid!" _

_"Guys, stop!" Serena yelled and then she giggled, focusing on Blair, "Pirates are fun, B! We can be a Pirate-Castle! You can be a pirate princess!" _

_Nate nodded enthusiastically, Chuck smirked; Blair eyed her blonde counterpart with pure disdain. "There _are _no Pirate-Castles! Pirates are foul creatures, Serena." _

_"Aw, come on, Blair. Pirates can be fun," Nate tried. _

_Blair huffed. "They cause shipwrecks, people!" _

_"That's it!" Serena cried, hands waving around excitedly in the air, "We can be shipwrecked! Think how romantic, B! You and Nate on an island and he's the prince and he saved you, the princess, from a... a tragic death at sea! And you can build a little hut on the beach! And Chuck can be a pirate and…" _

_"And I can protect you!" Nate cried, grinning at Blair "From the pirate!" Then he shifted that wide smile to Chuck, "We could do battle, man! With… like swords!" _

_Chuck nodded, warming to the idea.  
_

_Blair bit her lip, "What about you, S? Who would you be?" _

_Serena's eyes lit up impossibly brighter, "A mermaid!" _

_Chuck rolled his eyes, smiling. _

_Nate threw his head back and laughed. _

_Blair couldn't contain her giggle, "A mermaid? That's absurd." _

_Serena nodded, "It's a _game!" _She emphasized, then skipped up to Blair and threw her arms around the other girl, hanging off her neck, "Come on, B! Let's play! You can be shipwrecked royalty!" _

_Blair looked over and then smirked at her friend, "It kinda... does have a certain… charm." _

_"Yay!" Serena screeched, letting Blair go and spinning around. _

_Nate grinned, "Awesome!" _

_Chuck's smirk widened a little. _

_"Okay, how do we do it?" Serena asked, stopping and gazing over at Blair, her eyes eager. _

_The boys nodded, equally eager eyes trained on Blair. _

_Blair brought a hand to her chin, eyes going thoughtful. "The patio of course," she said turning towards the screen glass windows and gazing out onto the patio and yard, "Grab white, blue, and beige sheets, S. And pillows. Oh! And those old umbrellas from the closet in your Mom's hallway—the big ones, with the points at the end…. Nate, in the kitchen, get bags of…brown sugar, if they have it; regular if they don't. Chuck, ask Samuel to move the outside table around to this side of the yard… and the chairs too… we'll make the ship with them—and make sure he does it right now." _

_They all nodded, but Chuck eyed her with narrowed eyes. "And what are you doing?" He asked. _

_She tossed her hair, a smile playing around her lips, "I'm supervising of course." _

_Chuck and Nate exchanged exasperated looks. _

_And then Serena giggled, grabbing Blair's hand and twirling the dark haired girl around, "B's going to dress us up, right?!" She cried. _

_Blair giggled too, letting herself do a dramatic spin and nodding; the smile blooming on her face, "Of course… who else could turn this game, into a production!" _

_Chuck and Nate rolled their eyes, grinning, as they left the room. Serena and Blair giggled as they did a few more dance spins… _

The memory rose up vividly in Serena's mind and it made her yearn for her friends almost fiercely.

They'd been eight that summer and Pirate-Castle had been played and developed until all the kids staying at the Hampton's that year had wanted to play. Blair, of course, had set rules… no one could be Prince, but Nate; and no one, could be Lead Pirate, but Chuck; and only Serena could select mermaids and all mermaids must stay on the blue sheets, because that was the ocean…

She remembered the way they'd covered the lawn with sheets, every color meaning something… they'd had sand purchased, when brown sugar attracted ants, and of course, props had been purchased too…

In the end, it _had _been a production, complete with an audience of envious grammar school kids watching them play from inside Serena's room.

But the magic of that first time, just the four of them, with sugar as sand and umbrellas for swords, with a hut made of a table and sheets and overturned chairs for a ship— that had never been recaptured, that had never been seen; that existed only in the memories of four best friends on a bored summer afternoon.

She turned away from the bulletin board of pictures abruptly.

It had been a long time since she'd remembered her childhood. The past two years were so big, so dramatic and life altering, that the quieter years had faded a little, dulled in comparison.

She missed the Blair that giggled and did things even though they were absurd, the Nate that smiled at them and cared, the Chuck that took part and laughed…

She considered for a moment and then left the suite in search of her phone.

"Wow, that was fast," Eric commented when she walked outside to the deck.

She shook her head, smiling, "I'm keeping everything, Chuck can have my room upstairs, I'll move back in there."

Eric cocked an eyebrow, smiling, "Okay then… that's sudden."

Serena shrugged, looking around, "Everything in those rooms is more mine, than anything I have upstairs… have you seen my cellphone?"

"Right there," Eric pointed to a spot behind the center piece. "And okay, sure; we can go with that making sense..."

Serena walked around to get her phone and grinned at her little brother's sarcasm.

"Who're you calling?" He asked her a moment later.

"I'm gonna ask Nate if he wants to come over… he's in the Hampton's and I've hardly seen him… and we were supposed to hang out this summer too…" she finished, trailing off sadly.

Eric nodded, smirking, "Chuck's getting here soon too..."

Serena nodded back at him, smile still in place, "Yeah, I know!" She cried excitedly; suddenly a lot more accepting of that as the memory Chuck wearing a pirate's hat and brandishing a plastic sword fluttered into her mind._ We do _not _attack the mermaids, _he'd commanded of his band of pirates, _Only the Prince's men._

"And this is a… _good_ thing now…?" Eric continued, eyeing his sister with amused confusion.

Serena laughed as she dropped down onto one of the chairs, "Yep, I've had a…resurgence of… memory!"

Eric laughed, rolling his eyes; and Serena speed-dialed Nate, lifting her gaze to bright blue sky above as she waited for him to answer.

"Hey! Nate, it's S…"

* * *

TBC.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I do not own "Gossip Girl."

**Author's Note**: Part 2 of 2. Sorry this took longer to get up than I meant it to. Thank you for all the kind words. :)

* * *

"Hey do you remember Pirate-Castle?"

Chuck looked up from the drawer of clothes he was examining. The maids had put everything away already, but he had a system.

He arched an eyebrow at his new step-sister. She'd been oddly _happy _to see him, when he'd arrived an hour ago. And she'd been in his presence ever since, slipping into whatever room he was in.

It was disconcerting.

"Do I remember what now?"

She grinned, stepping into his room, her former one, confidently and perching on the arm of one of the armchairs.

"We played it like a dozen times the one summer…?" she added.

He turned and gave her his full attention, "What is going on with you?"

She shrugged, "It's just a question."

"You've been… odd, since I arrived."

"I have not."

"You hugged me."

"So?" She said, her smile still in place, "Friends hug friends."

"Are you high?"

Her smile slipped, "No! I am not!"

He shrugged now, a smirk appearing on his face, "You're behaving like it."

Her eyes narrowed. "I am not. I was just saying hello."

"With a hug…"

"Yes! People do that! _Friends _do that!"

"Right…" He arched an eyebrow, "Are you in trouble?"

She huffed and rolled her eyes, "God Chuck! I'm happy to see you, okay!?"

He raised his hands, appeasing her, "Okay, okay."

"Nate's coming over tonight."

He smirked again, "You'd like me to make myself scarce then?"

She smiled again, "No, I thought maybe we could do something…" she paused, "The three of us…?"

His smirk vanished. "Serena, if you are in some sort of predicament, just say so. Prolonging it isn't going to--"

"I'm not!" She cried, cutting in, "I'm just--"

"Happy to see me?"

"Yes!" She huffed again, looking frustrated now, "Why is that so hard to believe?"

Chuck frowned a little, met her blue gaze, and almost said, _because you've done nothing but hate me for years, _but the words stuck in his throat.

He looked away, took a moment, and then met her gaze again, saying wryly, "I suppose stranger things have happened."

She looked away then, bit her lip, "I know we haven't…. gotten along lately…" she murmured, before looking up at him again, "But it's the summer… the summer is…" she shrugged a little, "Ours."

Chuck stared at her, honestly confused. It had been years since they'd referred to summertime as their time; likely not since grammar school, certainly not since entering high school.

"What are you about?" He asked her softly.

She sighed, "I just… it's been such a… crazy year… can't we just… make it summertime; make it ours?"

Chuck startled at the phrasing.

_"Blair, it's the last week of school, the last quiz, I promise you, if you get a B, it won't matter…" Serena teased, watching her best friend read their history homework intently. _

_They were lounging on Blair's bed; Serena with a magazine trying to tell Blair about Brody who'd offered to push her on the swings instead of playing tag with the rest of the boys, Blair with her history book trying to get Serena to shut-up and study._

_Blair looked up, a curl of dark hair hanging loose from her clip, "Final grades are an average, S."_

_"You're not gonna fail fifth grade, you're Blair Waldorf, the--"_

_"--most brilliant girl in existence!" Nate finished for Serena as he bounded into the room. _

_Blair's face lit up and she straightened on the bed, "Nate!"_

_Serena grinned, bounding up into a sitting position, "Hey guys!" _

_Nate dropped down next to Blair, pressing a kiss to her cheek and smiling wide, "Serena's right, you don't have to study so hard," he said sweetly, "You're already super smart." _

_Chuck came up behind her and grabbed her history book, "Probably as smart as you'll ever be," he drawled, tossing the book to the floor. _

_"Chuck!" Blair shrieked, turning to glare at him. _

_Serena giggled and scooted more to the center of the bed so Chuck could sit. _

_"I was reading that!" _

_Chuck smirked, sitting down, "We have matters to discuss." _

_Blair rolled her eyes, "Stop talking like that! You sound like a dork."_

_"Looks like one too," Serena teased, reaching over and tugging his bow tie. _

_Chuck scowled at them both and swatted Serena's hands, "Hands off!"_

_Nate laughed, shaking his head, "Watch it; he's very protective of them!" _

_"Et tu, Nathaniel!" Chuck accused, a smirk playing on his lips, "My style is unique."_

_"Uniquely ridiculous!" Blair corrected, sending him an arched eyebrow._

_Chuck reached out quickly and plucked the headband off her head then tossed that to the floor as well. _

_Blair squeaked, hand flying to her hair, "My headband!" Her alarmed eyes following its trajectory to the floor._

_Nate frowned at Chuck, "Chill man," he murmured, getting up and retrieving it for Blair. He handed it to her with a special smile; she received with a grateful one. _

_Serena shoved Chuck lightly on the arm, smirking, blue eyes dancing, "Hair accessory-removal is a no-no, Chucky!" _

_Chuck's eyes narrowed at the bastardization of his nickname; he lifted Serena's magazine and tossed it over her head to the other side of the floor. _

_Serena laughed and reached out to tug at his bowtie again as Blair put her headband back in place._

_"God Chuck, you're so annoying, can't you be a gentleman like Nate?" She asked, looking at him with a haughty expression. _

_Chuck laughed, "You say gentleman, I say wuss…"_

_Nate punched Chuck on the leg. _

_Chuck pulled his leg back, wincing, "Ow!"_

_Nate chuckled, "Wuss?"_

_Blair smirked and then asked them, "What exactly are you two doing here?"_

_"You came to talk about summertime, right?!" Serena squealed, grinning._

_Nate nodded, smiling brightly at her, "Yep, Chuck and I going up there on Sunday."_

_Serena sighed happily, leaning back against the headboard and closing her eyes, "I love summertime…"_

_Blair giggled, "Because you go more insane than usual…"_

_"Because it's _our _time and we can be anything…" She trailed off._

_"And do anything…" Chuck picked up, smiling too._

_Nate nodded, blue eyes shining, "And no one makes us…"_

_"Or expects us," Blair slipped in softly, smiling too. _

_"To be anything we don't want to be…" Serena picked up again, opening her eyes, "It's all ours."_

_Blair laughed, "I do so love the summer." _

_"We're not going up until my Grandma does—two weeks." Serena stated, pouting a little. _

_"You can come up with me," Blair offered, "Daddy's taking us on Saturday."_

_"So we'll all be there on Sunday!" Nate summarized, "We can go right to the beach!"_

_"Yes!" Serena cried, "Blair and I have coordinating bathing suits!"_

_Chuck rolled his eyes, "You always have coordinating bathing suits." _

_Nate nodded, looking at one girl and then the other; the girls giggled, shrugging helplessly, because it was true._

_There was no better time than the summertime._

The memory fluttered through him, made him smile a little. It was almost surreal to remember a time when the four of them had actually enjoyed being together, had planned for it, had considered it the best thing to do with any given day—to spend it together.

"Chuck?" Serena's gaze was concerned. "You okay? If you…" she frowned a little, almost to herself, "If you don't want to… I get it… you don't have to. I know you and Nate… I know this year was tough on you--"

"I'm surprised you want to hang out with me. I'm surprised you're talking to me. What with…" he paused, hadn't been this direct with Serena in a long time, "Blair and I… and me being here…"

Something flashed across her face and she stood, "What you did—_are_ doing is a really crappy thing to do, Chuck," she stated, "But it's crappy for the both of you."

He blinked at her, said nothing.

She eyed him skeptically, "It's the first time you've come to the Hampton's since you were thirteen and that time you left early to—to gallivant around Europe with that model."

He waited for her to continue, when she didn't, he scoffed at her, "So?"

"So… you're obliviously settling in for a nice, long mope."

The suggestion was so absurd, so ridiculous, so spot-on, it produced the childish protest of, "I am not!"

"Then why aren't you off with some wannabe model or almost actress or socialite-of-hour?"

He swallowed hard, "Because…" he trailed off.

"Because none of them would be Blair Waldorf, that's why," Serena answered, voice surprisingly soft.

He stared at her, again said nothing.

She sighed, coming little closer to him, "You could still go to her, explain--"

"There's nothing to explain. She's not my girlfriend. Chuck Bass doesn't do girlfriends."

Serena sighed, "No of course he doesn't." She looked down at the carpeted floor, then back up at him, "Okay then… I guess, I'll see you around."

It took him until she'd actually left his room to decide; then followed her out into the hallway.

"Hey…"

She turned back.

"Come get me when Nathaniel arrives…"

And she smiled at him, "Absolutely."

* * *

XoXo

* * *

Forty minutes later Serena was opening the door and letting Nate in.

He smiled at her and then laughed when she threw her arms around him and squeezed, "Hi Nate!"

"Hello…" he drawled, still laughing, hugging her back. "That's a big hug…?"

She shrugged as she pulled back and sent him a sunny smile, "I've missed you."

"Missed me? You just saw me like last week…"

"I know… but I've missed _you." _She emphasized.

He laughed again, "Oh okay. That's clearer…"

She laughed too, tossed her hair back and then reached for his hand, "Come on. Chuck's in his room…"

He grinned at her, blue eyes bright, as he let her tug him along. "Chuck has a room…? I was sure you'd make him sleep in the yard…"

Serena rolled her eyes, "Don't be silly. If anything, the patio."

She led him up the stairs and pushed open the door to Chuck's room like he was expecting her… which judging by the smirk she received instead of a scowl, he was.

"Nathaniel," Chuck greeted, setting a book down and stepping away from the book shelf he'd been looking at, "You made it…"

Nate smiled, "Are you going to hug me too?"

Chuck shifted his gaze to Serena for a moment, before saying dryly, "She's in a hugging mood."

Serena rolled her eyes at them before saying brightly, "Yeah so, I was thinking maybe tonight… we could settle into the den and watch a movie…"

They both turned to her.

"You want to watch a movie?" Nate asked, "In the den?"

Chuck smirked at his friend's skeptical tone, "She's in a memory-lane mood too." He told Nate.

Nate said nothing for a moment, then grinned, "Ah okay… and what exactly brought this on?"

"Can't I just want to watch a movie with two of my friends?"

Nate blinked at her, smile dimming, though still in place, "Of course… it's just… weird."

Serena looked between the two of them for a moment; it was a sad commentary that just the idea of willingly spending time together confused them both so much.

"Follow me…" she told them. And then turned towards the door and headed downstairs.

For their part, Nate and Chuck exchanged quick glances and helpless shrugs before moving to do as she bid.

Serena led them to her room, past it, into the sitting room. She stopped in the middle of the room and waited for them to join her. When they did, she wave a hand towards the walls, towards the collages, the pictures of them; the snatches in time that told the story of their childhood.

She watched them expectantly as they followed the gesture of her hand, as their eyes landed on the photos.

They wandered closer to the pictures, eyes roving over them.

"Wow…" Nate whispered, reaching a hand up to skim his fingers over a shot of the four of them; each stuffing an entire ice cream bar into their mouths, everyone's hair bleached by the sun, their smiling faces tanned golden, and all four pair of eyes shining with laughter.

Chuck walked around the room slowly, taking in the bulletin boards covered pictures. "I forgot you and Blair used to do this…" He murmured.

Nate laughed suddenly, spotting another photo, "Chuck man, is this… you in… a pirate hat?" He asked delightedly.

Chuck sent him a light scowl from a few steps away, "Is this you with glitter on your face and hair…?"

Serena giggled. Nate's eyes widened, "What!"

"It was that time we were playing super-powers, remember!" Serena provided watching as Nate rushed over to look at what Chuck was referring to. "Blair said the glitter could be invisibility…"

"Serena," Nate stated, turning to look at her, "Seriously. Burn these."

Chuck nodded his agreement, but there was a small smirk on his face.

Serena smiled, "Never!" She proclaimed walking over to stand in front of one of the boards. She studied it for a moment, before looking at the boys again.

"We used to spend a lot of the summer together here; and I thought that… since we're here… we should do something, sometimes. Not every day, because…" her smile dimmed, "We're not these kids anymore… but just…"

"Sometimes," Chuck finished for her.

"Like watch a movie," Nate added.

She sent them a grateful look, "Yeah… and we could make popcorn and—and get Oreos… and…" she shrugged, smiling a little sheepishly, "Do commentary... like before…"

_"We can't get started until Serena gets here!" _

_Chuck rolled his eyes, "Blair, we've seen this movie… like seven hundred times."_

_Blair frowned, taking the remote control from his hands, "Exactly. The four of us. How are we supposed to do our commentary without her?" _

_Nate laughed, "She's got you there, man." Nate agreed, slipping his arm around Blair and tugging her a little closer. _

_She smirked at Chuck from Nate's embrace, "It's her job to tout the virtues of Allison's lunch," Blair reminded Chuck. _

_Nate nodded, "Plus, she's bringing the eggos…"_

_Chuck sighed, smirking a little, "I suppose that--"_

_"I'm here! I'm here!" Serena cried, bursting through the door of Blair's room. _

_Blair grinned as Serena dropped onto the bed with the rest of them, "Did you--"_

_"Left'm with Dorota!" Serena cut in. _

_Nate grinned, "Good!"_

_Chuck smirked and stole the remote control back from Blair in a swift move, "Let the commentary begin…" he drawled as Blair squeaked and demanded he give it back…_

Nate laughed, shaking his head at the silly memory, "Commentary? Next thing you'll be telling me you want to watch The Breakfast Club and eat eggos…"

Serena's eyes widened, "Oh my god, yes! Nate that's brilliant!"

"I was kidding!" Nate said, laughing.

"No, no it's a great idea!"

Chuck arched an eyebrow, "You can't be serious?"

Her smile faded and she bit her lip, but still nodded, blonde hair swishing about, "Yeah, I am... I just..." she shrugged, sighing softly, "I want to do something that's... _me._ You know?_" _

_Me, before the excessive drinking, before the drugs and the parties, before the black-outs and the betrayals,_ she couldn't say it though. The words stuck in her throat, but looking between the two of them, the way they nodded slowly; the slightly amused and oddly understanding look they shared, she knew she didn't have too.

Chuck cleared his throat. "We know, S," he said softly.

Nate nodded, "Yeah-- but _Breakfast Club_ and Eggos are Blair's schikt, we couldn't do it without her," Nate pointed out; and then winced, eyes flying to Chuck.

Chuck held himself very still.

"Sorry man, didn't mean to--"

"It's fine Nate," Serena answered before Chuck could speak, "Chuck can't possibly expect us not to mention Blair for an entire summer, can he?" She continued, transferring her gaze to her step-brother, "He can't even expect that Blair won't show up here eventually."

Chuck did his best to not twitch, but Serena's tiny smirk told him he didn't succeed.

She continued, "He's aware he has the option to fix this, he could still go after her, still make a case for--"

"Serena." He hissed, cutting off her sentence, his eyes narrowed and dark.

She stopped, eyed him for a moment, and then shrugged. "Anyway, the Eggos were all me…" she stated a beat later, "Like Blair would advocate pre-packaged breakfast food…" she teased.

Nate laughed, "Why _did _we start eating those?"

"Because they're awesome and I loved them! You did too! We have to get them!"

Nate's smile dimmed, "You're seriously proposing we watch _The Breakfast Club _without Blair?" He asked.

"My my, she's certainly heavy on your mind, isn't she Nathaniel…?"

Nate actually started, eyes widening as they flew to Chuck, "Whoa, who man! That's not what— I'm just saying that—I'm not—"

"Guys! Don't!"

Chuck shrugged, "I wasn't--"

Serena scowled at him, "Just because you're in for a battle with Blair, doesn't mean you have to practice with us."

Chuck glared at her, "I wasn't." He growled and a moment later mumbled, "And anyway, he's right… we can't."

Serena sighed, gaze dropping to the carpet. The room was silent for a moment. Nate looked between the two of them, Chuck gazing off into space, Serena' staring at the floor and wished suddenly they could be these kids on the wall—dressed like pirates, wearing glitter, mouths stuffed with ice cream, eyes shining.

Serena's head lifted then, "Yeah, you're right… maybe later then? When—when…" But she knew even as she tried to form the words that later would never work. It would take Blair months to forgive Chuck for this and even when she did… well, banter was only fun when it was teasing—not when it was out to draw blood.

"Serena…" Nate tried.

She shook her head, "Thanks for coming over, Nate. I really wanted you," he gaze slid to Chuck, "Both of you guys to—to see this… it's pretty cool, huh?" She offered, pulling up a wan smile for them as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with one hand; the other waved around the room, at the pictures.

"Yeah," Chuck stated, "It is."

"It's awesome, you and Blair did an awesome job…"

Serena nodded, "Right… yeah…" she looked around, "Look guys, I think… I'm going to take a walk… while the sun is still out… so…"

Nate stepped towards her, laid a hand on her arm, "Serena, don't be upset. We can do--"

"No, no! I'm not!" She interrupted, forcing a brighter smile this time, "I'm not upset… I just… I didn't go out much this week… and I… want to take a walk… that's all…"

"You're sure…?" Chuck questioned, "Because Nathaniel's right, you know…" he smirked at her, "We could play cards… strip poker?"

Serena shook her head and turned towards the door, avoiding both their gazes. "Tomorrow maybe… Eric's around, why don't you guys see if he wants to play…"

And then she was gone; leaving two confused and concerned boys in her wake.

* * *

XoXo

* * *

Nate and Chuck looked at each other in silence for a long moment after she left. "What the hell has she been doing this week?" Nate asked, a little alarmed.

Chuck shrugged, eyeing his friend with interest, as he turned and headed for the door, "What have _you _been doing that you don't know?"

When Nate actually flushed and shot Chuck a sidelong glance, Chuck smirked, amused, as they walked past the bedroom out into the hallway, "That interesting, is it, Nathaniel…?"

They stepped out into the living room, looked around, no Serena.

Nate avoided Chuck's gaze as he asked, "Where do you think she went?"

"She said she was going for a walk," Eric offered, he was standing in the living room, looking slightly confused.

"Oh—hey, man!" Nate greeted, smiling as he approached Eric and dropped a hand on his shoulder, "How've you been…?"

"Did she say where to?" Chuck asked calmly, joining them in the center of the large room.

"M'good…" Eric answered Nate vaguely and then shook his head, eyes on Chuck, "No, she kinda just… rushed off. Is she upset?"

Nate shrugged, "I don't know… maybe…"

Eric looked pointedly at Chuck, the older boy smirked, "Not my doing, E," he stated.

Nate nodded, "It wasn't us… she's just… being weird…"

"Ah yes," Eric nodded knowingly, "She was being weird earlier too…"

Nate looked from Eric to Chuck and back again, "So what do we do?" He asked.

Eric shrugged, "Beats me."

"She's your sister," Chuck pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure you two've logged more hours than I have."

Nate sighed. Chuck remained silent.

Eric shrugged suddenly and lay a hand on each boy's shoulder, "Well guys, good luck with that…"

"Hey! Whoa!" Nate cried when the younger boy turned and started heading for the front door, "You aren't gonna help us…?"

Eric grinned brightly and shook his head, "I'm on vacation, I'm tagging you guys in," he informed them and then he was strolling out through the door.

Chuck smirked as he watched him leave.

Nate sighed, "So… Chuck? Where do you think she went…?"

Chuck looked over at him, "Summertime, Nathaniel."

Nate rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know. Should we just leave it…? I mean, I know she's upset, but she'll be okay and I don't get what it is she--"

Chuck's smirk tuned into an almost smile, "You have somewhere to be?"

Nate drew up, blinked, "No, I didn't say that. I just--"

"Alright, then come along. I'll explain on the way…" Chuck turned back towards Serena's suite and with a sigh, Nate followed.

* * *

XoXo

* * *

The estate belonged to her grandmother and as all things Celia Rhodes owned, it was grand, lavish and perfectly maintained.

Sometimes Serena hated all that perfection; felt like she'd drown in it. Sometimes, like right now, it was comforting to be surrounded by a world in which everything had its place. She'd been sitting here for close to an hour already, watching the ocean waves—soothing and hypnotizing and wondering what the hell was wrong with her…

Too much thinking, she'd determined. There was only so much thought one could undergo before they started behaving… weirdly, right?

The sun was starting to set and she had a perfect view of the pink and gold display from underneath an oak tree. Her back was resting against the trunk of the tree, her knees drawn up in front of her. She was going to sit here until she could stop being weird—stop wishing for things that were long over…

It was silly; she wiped at a stray tear that slipped down her face, but she suddenly really missed Blair.

Blair, she thought, would understand…

Blair would have pretended with her…

Blair would have—

"Hey."

She jumped at Nate's voice, thoughts abruptly halting as she looked up and found him approaching her. He was carrying a bag with him; Chuck trailed him a few steps behind.

She straightened, rubbing at her face again quickly, trying to erase the evidence of tears.

"Hi guys…" she murmured, "What are—I mean how did you—?"

Nate grinned at her and spared a quick glance behind him at Chuck before answering, "You and Blair used to run off whenever Chuck played a joke on you…" he reminded her, "You used to come here, can't be seen from the main house…"

Serena blinked, surprised that he remembered that and then watched them as they reached her and dropped down beside her; Nate on one side, Chuck on the other, both facing the setting sun.

"Pretty view," Chuck offered.

She stared at his profile for a beat. "You coated our hairbrushes with Vaseline," she stated, suddenly remembering one of Chuck's _jokes. _

"For improved shine," he offered.

Nate laughed and tipped the bag he'd brought towards him, pulling out three plastic containers, "I remember Blair screamed bloody murder," he said handing one across Serena to Chuck.

"Always the dramatic one," he pointed out taking the container.

"It _hurt, _Chuck," Serena chastised, "It pulled our hair."

Nate handed her a container. When she hesitantly took it, he pulled out forks and handed them out.

"What is this?" She asked.

Nate smiled as he opened his and immediately began eating, his expression amused, "Eggo."

"Soggy with syrup," Chuck added, voice cautiously blank as he poked at his with his fork.

"And covered in powered sugar."

"With blueberries."

"Mine has bananas."

Chuck looked over at her, "Yours has whip cream."

Blair's would have had strawberries, Serena remembered.

She looked down at the Tupperware in her hands, the fork Nate had carefully laid on top of it.

She looked over at Nate and then at Chuck, both of them were chewing, eyes fastened on the view.

She opened hers up slowly and then began to eat. Over her head, Chuck sent Nate a smirk.

They ate in silence for a few minutes and then Nate set his empty container down and reached back into his bag.

"This is my favorite picture," he told her, setting the photo he'd spotted earlier of them eating ice cream cones down on the ground in front of her.

"Chuck picked this one," he stated, setting the other picture side by side. It was also one of the four of them; this time they were lying on the grass, a year or so older, looking up into the camera, the grass framing their smiling faces.

Serena smiled, "Those are pretty great, I guess…"

"We did call them favorites," Chuck stated.

Serena sent him a narrowed look, but she couldn't stop her smile from widening a little.

They weren't Blair… but they were trying.

They'd come to find her and they'd brought her eggos and pictures and they… were trying. It wasn't pretend, it was real.

Nate nodded, looking over at her earnestly, "Look Serena… I—_we… _don't really get what… like what you're upset about, but I—we… know that things… change, but… that doesn't mean, I mean well it _does _mean that things change, but when things do change… and they don't change for the better then… then we get that you want to wish things hadn't changed and that you want to wish with us because—I mean, well…" he trailed off.

Chuck picked up where Nate left off and Serena turned her head to meet his gaze, surprised to find that it held the same sincerity she'd found in Nate's.

"I believe what Nathaniel is almost saying, S," he said in a softly amused tone, "Is that we do understand the appeal of walks down memory lane and we certainly don't begrudge you them… and we are… willing to…" he paused and looked back out at the horizon, the sun had mostly disappeared casting shadows around them; stars beginning to twinkle in the twilight, "We are willing to participate."

Serena stared at his profile for a moment and then she looked to her other side. Nate had been expecting her gaze; he met her with a smile and leaned to bump his shoulder with hers. "I miss you too," he whispered and reached towards a picture to tap her image with his finger.

She nudged him back and then leaned the other way and nudged Chuck. He looked over at her, when she didn't say anything; he arched an eyebrow in question.

She smirked, "The whip cream had melted, you totally owe me another eggo."

"These things are disgusting," he stated as poked it with his fork again. She looked at his container and noted he'd only taken a few bites.

"You used to love these," she murmured and took the container from him, forking some into her mouth.

"I was young."

Serena nodded gravely, eyes twinkling with amusement, "Naïve too, I'm sure."

"It was peer pressure wasn't it?" Nate asked, grinning widely.

Serena laughed, "Aw, what a tragic tale. A poor billionaire boy forced by his more proletariat friends to consume mass produced breakfast foods!"

"The horror!" Nate cried.

"From the freezer aisle no less," Chuck added darkly.

"Like you've ever been in a freezer aisle," Serena mocked, nudging his shoulder a bit hard this time.

"I've seen it."

Nate snorted, "On TV."

"And that alone was horrendous enough…"

Serena laughed, shaking her head, "Thanks guys… for this…"

"Ah, but we're not finished yet!" Nate proclaimed and reached back into the bag. He pulled out a folded blanket as Chuck reached over and carefully picked up the photographs. Nate laid the blanket down in front them, Chuck handed the photos to Nate, who slipped them back into the bag, and then Chuck produced a deck of cards from his pocket.

Serena's eyes narrowed, "No way, Chuck. I'm not playing strip poker with you."

Chuck pouted, "You wound me, sis."

Nate laughed, shaking his head, "No, go fish."

She turned her head to look at Nate, "Go fish?"

He nodded. "Like rainy days…"

Serena stared at him for a moment and then a bubble of laughter floated up her throat; she threw her head back and let it out; her laughter ringing out in the quiet evening.

Nate ducked his head, flushing a little. Chuck looked over at him, smirking. A moment later Serena reached over and threw herself on top of Nate, wrapping her arms around his neck and toppling them over onto the grass.

"Serena!" He shouted through his laughter, one arm coming around her, the other trying to halt his fall.

They tumbled backwards anyway though and their laughter mixed together. Both dropping back on the grass

"You're too sweet, Nate!" She cried, looking over at him as they lay on their sides, "You remembered!"

Nate laughed and lifted his hand to point, "Chuck did too," he stated and then lifted his head from the ground to look at his best friend.

Serena looked over too.

They found Chuck on his knees, camera phone in his hand, a smirk on his face.

"Chuck!" Serena cried, sitting up, "What are you doing?!" She asked, panic spiked through her—a vision of her and Nate on Gossip Girl with some horrible, damning couplet suddenly appearing in her head.

"Dude…?" Nate added, sitting up as well.

Chuck shrugged one shoulder, smirk turning into a half smile, "New pictures."

_New pictures._

The panic leached away. Chuck had taken a picture of her and Nate laughing… not for gossip girl… but for them; so they'd have new pictures…

Her answering smile was wide and delighted. Nate's was teasing and amused.

And for one moment, sitting on the warm grass, the setting sun bathing them in pink and orange, they echoed of the children who'd played make-believe together, who'd spent the summer being pirates and mermaids and had made the summertime _their _time…

* * *

--Fin.

* * *


End file.
